Texas Tech men's basketball notebook

Published: Monday, December 31, 2001

Big crowd

Sunday's announced paid crowd of 14,232 was the biggest of the season so far for a Texas Tech men's basketball game at United Spirit Arena. Tech's previous biggest crowd in its first eight home games was 13,811 against Texas Christian Dec. 1. For the first time all year, more than a handful of fans populated the north and south sections of the upper deck in the 80-60 win against Minnesota.

The crowd may have reached its loudest point with 5:18 left in the game after a put-back bucket by Andy Ellis. The bucket gave Tech a 68-53 lead. Minnesota then called time-out, prompting the noise.

Tech next plays Tuesday at home in a 2:15 p.m. game against Wyoming (8-3).

Emmett returns to start

Tech forward Andre Emmett returned to the starting lineup in Sunday's 80-60 win against Minnesota. He didn't start in Tech's last game Dec. 22 against Stetson after a zero-point performance Dec. 17 against Louisiana-Lafayette.

His return to the starting lineup gave Tech the same starting composition used for the previous two games before Stetson: Emmett, Ellis, forward Pawel Storozynski, point guard Will Chavis and forward/guard Kasib Powell.

Emmett has started 10 of Tech's 11 games. He scored 18 points against Stetson and led Tech Sunday with 20 points.

Outside the lines

ESPN is planning to feature Tech in an upcoming edition of the monthly "Outside the Lines" program. The feature centers on academics in college basketball. ESPN plans a segment on Tech and the emphasis on academics under new head coach Bob Knight. The program likely won't air until March.

Quotable

After the game, Minnesota coach Dan Monson was asked if he thought it was "great" to coach against Tech head coach Bob Knight.

"I didn't think it was that great," Monson said. "I had my (butt) handed to me. I have a lot of respect for him."

Best start since...

Tech's 10-1 start surpassed last year's overall win total of nine. The start is Tech's best since 1995-96, when Tech was 30-1 before finishing 30-2 during the school's last trip to the NCAA Tournament.